


nineteen autumns

by nanases_h



Category: Free!
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Sex, Bottom Tachibana Makoto, Domestic, Fluff, M/M, Nanase Haruka & Tachibana Makoto & Tokyo, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-25 00:00:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16650394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanases_h/pseuds/nanases_h
Summary: It’s Makoto’s twentieth birthday, and Haru is determined to spoil him to bits— in their bedroom and at a cat café.





	nineteen autumns

**Author's Note:**

  * For [freaky_hanyou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/freaky_hanyou/gifts).



> this is for [freaky_hanyou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/freaky_hanyou/pseuds/freaky_hanyou) who requested birthday fluff/smut for Makoto's birthday exchange 2018 (◕ ワ ◕✿)
> 
> i hope you enjoy it!

Makoto’s day started with an _oof!_ as a heavy but familiar weight crashed on his chest.

“Happy birthday!”

When Makoto didn’t open his eyes, Haru straddled him at the hips and bounced over and over. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

“Mm,” Makoto managed to reply. He caught Haru in his arms with his eyes still closed— an art he’d mastered throughout the years of being with Nanase Haruka, who woke up at ridiculously early hours— and folded himself around him. He imagined Haru pouting before he pressed his lips all over Makoto’s face.

“Wake up wake up wake up wake up!” A kiss on the left cheek, two kisses on the right, another one on the tip of his nose, another here, and another there…

Makoto giggled as Haru’s lips brushed lightly on his neck. It _tickled_. He inserted his leg between Haru’s thighs. And when he opened his eyes, there was his boyfriend smiling softly at him, his blue eyes bright. He was wearing one of Makoto’s tattered old sweatshirts that hung loosely on his lithe form. The morning light cast a halo around his raven hair.

Makoto’s heart fluttered. He pecked Haru on the lips. “Good morning, Haru-chan.”

Haru didn’t protest at the use of his childhood nickname, only wrinkled his nose, and took something from the nightstand to put it on Makoto’s head.  

“What’s this?” Makoto reached for it and found a cardboard crown wrapped in golden foil paper in his hands. It said _‘birthday boy’_ in Haru’s neat and beautiful calligraphy that looked like computerised text to strangers’ eyes. Makoto beamed from ear to ear.

It was only the beginning of birthday surprises. Haru turned his back for a second to place a breakfast tray on his lap.

_“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you… Happy birthday, dear Makoto. Happy birthday to you!”_

Haru wasn’t finished singing when Makoto enveloped him in a rib-crushing hug. His eyes watered and his heart felt too big for his chest. He muttered in Haru’s hair, “Thank you, Haru-chan. Thank you very much!”

Haru stroked his back and whispered in his ear, “Makoto, I can’t breathe—“

He loosened his arms and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, sorry.”

“Make a wish.”

He closed his eyes, wished for another wonderful year with Haru, and blew the candle on his cupcake.

“Did you make this?” He lifted the cupcake to study the tiny fondant orca on top. “No, don’t answer. I know you did.”

His boyfriend smiled.

Makoto knew nothing about baking, but it must have taken _hours_ to make his tiny birthday cupcake. What time did Haru have to wake up to prepare it?

“Haru, you didn’t have to spend too much time making—“

Haru put a finger on his lips. “Ssh, it’s your birthday. You don’t get to argue with me on this.”

Makoto sighed in defeat, but his smile returned. “I’m the luckiest boy alive.”

As if to prove his point, Haru kissed his cheek. He climbed beside him and cut the soufflé pancakes.

Ever since they started living together in Tokyo, Haru had always been in charge of making breakfast for the both of them. He made sure Makoto was well-fed before he faced his hectic days in university and at work (he’d also like to use this chance to make Makoto like mackerel for breakfast but he was yet to be converted).

Haru forked a slice and put it in Makoto’s mouth.

His soufflé pancakes were Makoto’s recent favourite. They were thick and fluffy, and very soft— Makoto liked to imagine he was eating clouds— topped with whipped cream and fresh sliced berries.  

“Here.” Makoto used the fork to feed Haru, who curled up against him and carefully tugged at the blankets to cover their laps.

They shared breakfast and warmth while listening to the city’s Saturday morning bustle. He kissed Haru’s head as his cheek rested on Makoto’s shoulder. Being nestled together in the autumn weather was an invitation to fall back to sleep.

His and Haru’s birthdays fell in different seasons. Haru’s day was at the end of June and they would always be at the beach where Haru would swim to his heart’s content. They would feel the summer heat on their skin while being surrounded by the crowd’s festive energy. On the other hand, Makoto’s birthdays were all about getting cosy. The biting autumn chill meant sharing hot chocolate, hiding their faces behind scarves, and napping together on the couch under a blanket.

Honestly, he’d be happy to stay in bed all day like this today.

“What time are we meeting Kisumi and Asahi and the others again?” said Makoto, gently stroking Haru’s thigh.

Kisumi and Asahi were in charge of Makoto’s birthday party this year, and from what he’d eavesdropped, they were planning to throw a wild one in Shibuya.

“Around six thirty. I’m bringing the batch of orca cupcakes I made for everyone,” said Haru. “Are you finished?”

“Mm-hm.”

Haru put the breakfast tray almost hastily on the floor. And with that, he sealed Makoto’s words in his lips, kissing him hard and deep.

They cuddled and squeezed and _felt_ each other wherever their hands could reach.

“Your ears are red,” teased Haru. He nibbled the shell of Makoto’s ear, making it even redder.

“Haru…”

They peeled their clothes off piece by piece, sneaking sloppy kisses and laughing in between, until they were naked and sitting on the edge of the bed. Haru straddled Makoto’s hips, his slender, muscular legs folded around his torso as he cupped Makoto’s face in his hands and kissed him.

Makoto embraced Haru, wanting to feel the ridges of Haru’s back, his chest, his thighs, _all of him_.  

He thought about how lucky he was to be with Haru, to be able to cradle him in his arms like this and see his naked and beautiful form bathed in the autumn light. It fell brilliantly across Haru’s skin, his lashes casting shadows across his cheeks.

Autumn was Makoto’s favourite season because it was the only time of the year that made Haru’s deep blue eyes the warmest colour.

Haru broke free from their kiss, his eyes travelling across Makoto’s face and igniting sparks on his skin.

Makoto leaned forward. He wanted more of Haru, but he could never get enough. He couldn’t help himself. He covered Haru with kisses from his mouth, to his neck, to his shoulders, until Haru pinned him on the mattress.

Haru let his lips brush every inch of Makoto’s skin until they found their way further down to where his lover wanted him to touch the most. Makoto watched Haru’s head sink in between his legs like the sun setting in between two mountains. He closed his fists around the sheets.

“H-Haru…”

He moaned as he felt a warm and wet mouth wrap around him, tasting him. His heart beat faster when Haru’s long and nimble fingers closed around his length, his thumb circling around the slit, giving it slow and teasing strokes. His breath hitched. Haru took him in his mouth deeply and made Makoto grip at his hair and tip his head back.

Sounds of pleasure escaped his mouth; he couldn’t stop his mouth from moaning. It was really embarrassing, but _god, it felt so good_. Only Haru could make him feel this way.

“Haru… I’m— coming—“

His legs shook and kicked, and Haru pumped him faster and harder until he came. He finished with a sigh of relief and took a moment to keep his eyes closed. To calm the beating of his heart. When he looked down, Haru smirked, licking his lips and wiping the corners of his mouth. The sight made him want to come again.  

Wordlessly, Haru climbed onto the bed and rested his cheek on Makoto’s belly.  

They lay in bed, fully naked. Makoto had always been very shy about being so open and vulnerable. He and Haru had done this countless times since they got together in high school, and he would get nervous every time, but only because of his own insecurities. He was never scared because he was with Haru, who could calm the storms in him and make everything okay.

Not a long moment had passed when they started kissing again. They rutted and moved in one smooth motion, Haru sucking on his collarbone, and Makoto arching his back to rub their erections together. He took Haru’s hands to feel him in between his legs and sighed at his warm touch.  

“Do you want me, Makoto?” asked Haru in a low voice that made his cock twitch.

“Yes— ah— I-I want you…”

His body ached with want. And _need_. Still moving in unison with Haru, Makoto groaned as slick fingers entered him, feeling the burn on the ring of muscles upon their intrusion. Eyes closed, he felt Haru explore him and all of his most intimate parts that he knew so well. It only took a short time to find that spot that made him cry out and twitch uncontrollably.  

“H-Haru— please—“

He didn’t have to beg because Haru knew when he was at his limit. Haru secured Makoto’s hips, latching their bodies as if connecting two perfectly congruent shapes together. He started gently, stroking Makoto’s length and kissing his face, as he slowly penetrated him. To distract himself from the burn of being stretched, Makoto sucked on Haru’s bottom lip and touched himself.

His desire for Haru had let himself be vulnerable with him— his lover, his best friend, and the person who knew him the most. And he savoured that feeling, that sensation of Haru being inside of him, being one with him, and he would do anything to feel it again and again and again.

Haru pounded hard onto him, his hips moving in an undulating motion. He made love to Makoto like how he swam in the pool. Strong and relentless, as if his life depended on it. And it made Makoto weak every time he thought about it.

“Is it good, Makoto?” asked Haru, giving him a deep thrust.

“Aah yes—“ He replied, baring his neck for Haru to claim.

Makoto folded his arms around him, his nails scratching Haru’s back, marking him. His face was flushed from arousal and embarrassment, uncontrollable loud moans escaping his mouth. Neither of them was saying anything coherent at this point and they could only hear the sound of skin slapping against skin. For the next moments, it was all desire and pleasure, like this was what everything was supposed to be.

He raised his legs to let Haru in some more, his ankles dangling on Haru’s shoulders, as he murmured _more please_ and _faster_. Haru moved like he wanted, full of passion, until Makoto could feel himself coming. After hours of kissing and touching, finally, Makoto was coming again.

He clenched around Haru, feeling all the muscles in his body tense as heat pooled in between his legs. Above him, Haru was scrunching his face, his mouth forming a perfect _O_.

_“Makoto…”_ He moaned against his ear, always the sweetest sound to leave his lips.

Haru kept calling out Makoto’s name breathlessly, the consistent rhythm of his hips wavering a little bit, but still thrusting deep and hitting Makoto’s sweet spot. Makoto grabbed both of his hands, and almost at the same time, they finished together.

Sweating, Haru heaved and smiled as he fell into Makoto’s arms. They remained silent, reveling in everything that had happened.

Then, tears filled the corners of Makoto’s eyes. A smile bloomed across his face.

“You make me happy,” he told Haru, embracing him and kissing the top of his head.

There was no need to state the obvious, especially to Haru who knew every corner of his personality and could read every expression, every thought on his face, but it was his birthday and he was allowed to do it.

Haru’s face softened. He chuckled and pecked the corner of Makoto’s mouth. “Good.”

He encircled his arms around Makoto, burying his face on the crook of his neck. Makoto played with Haru’s smooth hair as sleep draped around him like a warm blanket.

Haru poked his cheek. “Hey, don’t fall back to sleep.”

Makoto blinked. “Hmm?”

Slowly sitting up, Haru said, “Get up, we have somewhere to be.”  

* * *

Makoto didn’t really like surprises.

Especially if they involved jump scares on his birthday. When they were still in Iwatobi High, Haru, Nagisa, Rei, and Gou thought it was a nice idea to surprise him in the swim club room. They had lured him there under the pretence of an emergency meeting. The lights were off as he opened the door and before they could yell _Surprise!_ he started screaming because he saw their faces in the dark and thought they were _something else_.

_I told them you’d freak out but they wouldn't listen,_ Haru explained when he apologised. He didn’t let go of Makoto’s hand for hours, repeatedly promising not to do it again. He’d kept his promise so far.

“Where are we going?” Makoto asked, lacing his fingers in between Haru’s.

“You’ll see.” His boyfriend gave him a sneaky smile which made Makoto even more nervous.

Hand in hand, they walked to the train station. Tokyoites paraded around the streets in sweaters and unbuttoned trench coats. The city was ablaze with fiery colours. Tunnels of maple trees had turned scarlet, gingko trees vivid yellow, their fallen leaves carpeting the pavement. The sky was a brilliant blue.  

Haru looked at the foliage in wordless admiration.

“It’s beautiful,” he said after a moment.

Makoto smiled. He kept his eyes on Haru and drank in the sight of him being surrounded by a thousand shades of autumn, his face catching the sunlight. “It is.”

They boarded the train to Ikebukuro. It was one of those rare days when they were taking the train together, not needing to find each other in the sea of people to wave goodbye as they headed the opposite directions.

After passing a seemingly endless row of department stores in Ikebukuro, he and Haru entered a commercial building and climbed up the stairs. They stopped on the fourth floor and when Makoto saw where Haru was taking him, he gripped his wrist tighter than he intended and gasped. “Haru!”

“You’ve been wanting to get a cat for a long time, so here we are.” Haru led him inside the cat café.

It was no ordinary cat café— it was one that sheltered rescue cats. Makoto had read about it before and mentioned to Haru how he would like to visit one time and maybe adopt one of their cats.

Excitement sang in his veins as they entered the café. Around thirty cats were in the room, some napping, and some giving them inquisitive looks. The furniture reminded Makoto of _Neko Atsume_. Cat trees, scratching posts, and pods filled the floor and the walls, making all the cats truly feel at home.

Makoto was on the verge of tears as he sat with Haru on the tatami mat. “This is the perfect birthday gift ever, Haru-chan. You’re the best!” He flung his arms around him and covered his face with kisses.

Haru caught his lips with his own and let out a soft chuckle.

While waiting for their hot chocolate, they started making friends with the cats in the room. There were long-haired cats, odd-eyed cats, cute little kittens… Makoto could name all of them. He loved how they didn’t need a lot of coaxing to come near him and Haru. Makoto wanted to tuck them inside his jacket and take all of them home.

He was patting a Siamese cat when he noticed this one-eyed ginger tabby looking at them from the table across the room. He reached out to stroke it, but it went stiff like it was expecting to be hit. It was such a tiny kitten, probably around five months, and he couldn’t imagine what it had been through already. It crushed Makoto’s heart.

“It’s okay…” Gently, he stroked it on the top of its head and eventually, it was rubbing its cheek against Makoto’s fingers. He lifted it, and when it didn’t protest, he put it on his lap. “See? You’re okay.”

“She likes you,” said Haru, smiling softly and stroking an orange-tailed kitten.

“I think so.”

He and Haru sat there and sipped their hot chocolate, talking about nothing while being surrounded by the most adorable cats in the world. Well, he did most of the talking as usual. Haru watched him coo at the cats, his lips tugging at the corners.

Makoto brushed his knuckles on the head of the cat on his lap and it purred.

“She’s perfect,” he said. She looked up at him and when she blinked her amber eye at him, Makoto had made a decision. “You’re coming home with us.”

They stayed for another hour because there was never enough time to pet the lovely cats. They told the staff about wanting to adopt the one-eyed cat and sorted out the forms. After discussing about the two-week trial period, Makoto and Haru were taking Kinako home.  

* * *

Makoto couldn’t wipe the wide grin off his face.

He laid Kinako on her new bed in their small living room. She was already sleeping, probably tired from playing and taking the long trip from the cat café.

Her arrival had already made their apartment seem brighter. Livelier. He remembered when he and Haru used to play house with Ren and Ran. He’d always imagined he would get cats, but he didn’t expect he’d do it so soon.

He and Haru stood in the middle of the living room, locked in an embrace. Silence trickled onto them like light November rain. Their foreheads touched and together, they swayed into a little slow dance. Makoto hummed an off-key tune of a lovesick song stuck in his head.  

Gratitude unfolded in his chest. He couldn’t put it into words because they wouldn’t be enough. He barely ever thought about his birthday. It was just an ordinary day for him. But there were his friends, and Haru, who always had something planned for his day.

Haru, who would bring him breakfast in bed.

Haru, who would kiss him when he got hurt, to make it all better.

Haru, who would always take care of Makoto when he forgot about himself.

“Thanks for today, Haru-chan.”

“It’s nothing.”

Makoto had expected him to turn his head away like he always did when he was embarrassed or had nothing to say, but to his surprise, Haru gave him his softest smile.

Unable to contain his happiness, Makoto gazed into Haru’s eyes, into his soul. “I love you.”

Haru leaned in closer to breathe him in. The fine hair on the back of Makoto’s neck stood. “I love you too.”

They shared another kiss and whispered sweet nothings in each other’s ear. They continued their little slow dance, mindlessly touching one another.

They listened to the silence, to the beating of their hearts.

Makoto had spent twenty autumns in this world, nineteen with Haru, and counting.

When he was with Haru, his birthdays were always worth celebrating.


End file.
